Joe Cardinale

School might teach you how to do mathematics, how to write essays and how to take tests, but it doesn’t necessarily teach you about yourself. Harnessing your individuality is a whole other beast you have to conquer by yourself.

Former West Essex graduate and new teacher Joe Cardinale believes that helping students find their own inner resources to make themselves successful, and getting in touch with their own special skills and abilities is the most rewarding process for both himself and for others. 

“I like helping other people reach their potential and helping other people succeed, and teaching is a great profession for being able to do that,” Cardinale said,

After high school, Cardinale said, he soon realized he did not want part of the typical 9 to 5 cubicle job, so his affinity for mental coaching made him realize that teaching business was perfect because it fit the criteria for the practice he was passionate about. “Teaching business, being able to mesh what content I’m passionate about versus what I’m passionate about with my life in terms of helping other people, so this is a good fit for what I like to do.” 

His passions for mental coaching do not apply just in the classroom. Cardinale uses the skills he has learned throughout his life into his other hobbies, specifically baseball. He has had a love for the sport since he was young, and played for special education teacher and baseball coach here at West Essex, Scott Illiano. They met each other at a baseball camp, where Illiano coached a young Cardinale. Cardinale went on to play varsity baseball with Illiano for all four years of high school, and as Illiano watched Cardinale grow into an adult, the two formed a friendship.

“I think he’s really grown into just an outstanding person, an outstanding leader and outstanding role model, both in and out of the classroom,” Illiano said.

Cardinale’s fresh, optimistic approach to teaching and even how to lead life in general promises a healthy new perspective.

“Every individual has the innate skills and abilities to get to wherever they want to be,” Cardinale said, “But a lot of times, I think, sometimes our mindset and our thoughts, and our strategies are not necessarily there to achieve whatever goal we want to achieve.”